10 Scottish summer childhood memories we all remember growing up

As we enter July, it is safe to say that we are officially in the peak of the summer season.

While it may not feel like it thanks to the typically dour Scottish weather, the holidays are finally here. With kids around the country heading enjoying their time off, it has got us feeling nostalgic for our childhood summers.

If you grew up in Scotland, some of your strongest memories as a kid will no doubt involve the massive summer break. After weeks of build-up, knowing that you had all that time to hang out with your friends without worrying about school was a feeling like no other.

The Daily Record has decided to look back at some of our strongest summer memories. From water balloon fights with friends to days out at M&D's or Leith Waterworld, at least a few of these will undoubtedly ring some bells.

Read on for 10 things you may remember growing up in Scotland during the summer.

Sports Day

If you went to a Scottish school, memories of Sports Day will no doubt be burned into your memory — for better or worse. If you were a top athlete, then the glory of placing first in the races was the perfect way to close out the school year. Some of us, though, only remember the shame of coming dead-last. Thankfully, the squash and biscuits at the end definitely helped ease the pain.

Playing rounders for P.E.

Whether you loved P.E. as a kid or hated it, there was nothing better than getting let outside for a game of rounders instead of the usual football or rugby. For an hour, it barely even felt like you were in school — and if you didn't feel like playing it was easy to sneak off and enjoy a wee bit of sunbathing instead.

Hanging out with friends at the local green

Whether you lived in a tiny village or bustling town or city, we all had that local park that we would make a beeline for with our pals whenever the sun was shining over the summer. There was something so simple and fun about just hanging out with friends doing nothing on the swings or grass.

Ice cream van

Was there any sweeter sound growing up than the playful jingle of the local ice cream van? On those rare days when the temperature was , a 99 or an ice lolly was an actual godsend. If we didn't have enough pocket money on us, though, it meant a dash home to beg our parents for an extra couple of quid.

Sucking on an ice pole to cool down

Fortunately, even if the ice cream van wasn't about, there was always a tasty and reliable way to cool down at home. The sight of these neon-coloured frozen treats will take many Scots instantly back to their youth. Everyone had their own favourite flavour, but most of us just called them by their colour — with blue obviously being the best.

A day out at M&Ds

If you grew up anywhere near Glasgow, the special days out at M&D's in Motherwell were probably the highlight of your summers. After all, what could be better than a day out at a theme park?

Everyone had their own favourite ride as a kid, whether it was Moby's Revenge, Kamikaze, or the Runaway Mine Train. If you have a kid, why not take them to M&D so they can create their own memories?

Leith Waterworld

Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Leith Waterworld was the place to be during the summer holidays. First opening in the 1990s, this waterpark delighted untold numbers of Scots for years with its pools, flumes, and slides.

Unfortunately, it shut its doors for good in 2012. The kids today will never know what they're missing out on.

Bringing out the paddling pool in the back garden

If there was one sign that the weather was getting a little too hot, it was seeing your parents bring out the paddling pool for its one day of use a year. The hardest part was the seemingly endless wait for the hose to fill up the pool.

Once it was done, though, that first dip in the cold water was a relief like no other. The hardest part was getting out.

Water gun and balloon fights

There was a messier — but undeniably more fun — way to cool off over the summer. If you could get enough of your pals together, staging a large-scale water fight was the ultimate sunny day activity.

Looking back, it is easy to see why our parents screamed at us to stop. Those repeated trips to sink in our dripping wet clothes to fill up our guns or balloons must have been a nightmare to clean up.

Daytime TV

With weeks and weeks of school holiday during the summer, most of us remember plenty of days out having fun in the sun. However, there were also a lot of lazy days at home where we didn't do anything at all.

Whether because it was raining, or just because none of our friends were about, we all got a lot better acquainted with daytime telly. From Bargain Hunt to Cash in the Attic, it wasn't exactly the most thrilling of watches.

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